'System to resolve incursion issue with China exists'

External affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said India will take "whatever necessary action is required for the betterment of country" while maintaining that there were systems between India and China to resolve situation arising out of Chinese incursion in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in Ladakh eight days ago.

"We have a system among us, in which regional commanders discuss in these flag meetings. We have been solving these problems. We will keep on solving," he told reporters outside Parliament.

He also said "whatever necessary action is required for the betterment of country, we will take".

Khurshid said both India and China have come a long way and any incident which raises question on the comprehensive system in India and China for the development of relations is "not appropriate".

India had raised the issue with China last week immediately after the incident of Chinese incursion came to light.

Apart from Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai summoning the Chinese Ambassador to South Block, the Joint Secretary in MEA, who is heading the India-China joint working mechanism to deal with issues on the boundary from the Indian side, spoke to his counterpart in Beijing last week, emphasising on the need to resolve the issue.

A platoon-strength contingent of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) came 10km inside the Indian territory in DBO sector, which is at an altitude of about 17,000 feet, on the night of April 15 and established a tented post there, according to highly placed sources.

Defence minister A K Antony had said on Monday that India will take "every step" to protect its interests to resolve the situation arising out of the incursion.